Stopper press die



Patented Sept. 7, 948

STOPPER PRESS DIE John 0. Reid, Jersey City, N. J., assigner to `Joseph Dixon Crucible Company, Jersey City,

N. J., a corporation of New Jersey I Application September 1, 1945, Serial No. 614,049r

This invention relates to the manufacture of Stoppers or plugs for bottom discharge ladles for molten metal such as those used in 'open hearth steel practice. y

The stopper is moved into and out of the pouring hole or outlet opening of the ladle by a rod having a head that is disposed within the plug or stopper. In order to receive the head an opening is formed inthe bottom of the stopper and this opening is preferably undercut. After the rod or pin and head have been inserted `inthe recess or opening in the stopper, the outer portion of the recess below the head is lled in to prevent the molten metal from Aentering the openi118.

The invention has for its salient object to provide simple and practical means for forming Stoppers of the character described having undercut or irregularly shaped openings so constructed that the pin or rod and head which have been inserted in the opening will be retained therein after the opening has been plugged.

Further objects of the inventionwill appear from the following specification taken in connection with the drawings which form a part of this application, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional elevation of a die constructed in accordance with the invention for manufacturing the stopper having the characteristics set forth;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged exploded elevation showing the segmental members which are carried by the pin and form the undercut recess in the stop- Fig. 3 is a top plan view taken substantially on line 3--3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows,

In th'e particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings there is shown a die press comprising a mold I which may be of any suitable construction, and, as shown, consists of a ring I I preferably formed of seamless steel tubing, and an inner mold member I2 which may be formed of any suitable material, such as bronze, cast iron, or other material. The mold member I2 has an upper portion or wall I3 which is substantially cylindrical but preferably slightly ilared, and a lower curved portion I4 so shaped as to form the desired cont-our for the stopper formed therein.

A pin I5 has a flange or collar I6 so dimensioned as to t within an opening Il in the bottom of the mold member I2. The collar I6 has a downwardly extending cylindrical recess 2n in the upper surface thereof surrounding the pin 10 Claims. (Cl. 25-44) I5. The lower end of the pin has a downwardly extending threaded stud 2l which is connected to the upper'en-d of a bottom plunger or piston rod 22.

A plunger 25 is slidably mounted on the pin I5 Within the mold member I2 and this plunger is connected to the upper end of the press or to a piston rod of a hydraulic press cylinder. The plunger 25 is provided with suitable vents 26.

In order to form an undercut or irregularly shaped recess in the stopper formed in the die press above described, a plurality of segmental members are mounted on the pin I5 above the collar I6. `As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, four segments A, B, C andD are provided. The segments B and D have inner arcuate surfaces 30 and 3| which t around the pin I5. These segments also have flat sides 32 and 33. The segments A and C have flat inner surfaces adapted to fit against the surfaces 32 and 33 and the four segments are so formed as to form a complete circle around 'the pin I5 when mounted thereon. The outer surfaces of the segments A, B, C and D are longitudinally tapered so as to be flared outwardly'toward the upper ends, as shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 2. Adjacent their lower ends enlarged cylindrical portions 35 are formed on the segments and below these portions are downwardly extending arcuate portions so dimensioned as to fit within the recess 20 at the top of the collar I6 on the pin I5.

The segments A; B, C and D are mounted on the pin in the manner shown in Fig. l and the pin is then raised to the position shown in said gure in which the collar I6 is disposed in the opening Il. The material from which the stopper or plug is to be formed is then placed in the mold I2, this material being of any desired composition, such as graphite, calcined clay and silicon carbide. The plunger 25 is then depressed, thus compressing the material in the mold I2 around the pin I5 and core segments A, B, C and D. After the plug or stopper formed in the mold has been pressed, the plunger 25 is withdrawn and the rod 22 and pin I5 with the stopper mounted thereon is raised within the mold. The operator then holds the stopper and withdraws the pin I5 therefrom, leaving the segments A, B, C and D in the stopper. He then reaches into the bottom of the stopper and 'with his finger loosens and withdraws the segments A, B, C and D, thus leaving an irregularly shaped bottom thereof is inserted upwardly in the stopper so that the head will engage the inner end or shoulder of the opening in the stopper. The space below the head is then lled in with suitable plastic material to prevent the molten metal from entering the opening when the stopper is used to close the pouring spout or opening in an open hearth furnace or other receptacle.

Although one specific embodiment of the invention has been particularly shown and described it; will be understood that the invention is capable of modification and that changes. in`

the construction and in the arrangement of the various cooperating parts may beymade without departing from the spirit or 'scope of" theiinvenftion, as expressed in the following claims.l

What I claim is:

1. A stopper press die comprising a mold', a plunger movable thereinto to compress' thematerial in the mold, a pin movable upwardly through the bottom of the mold, and means on the pin and surrounding the lower portionl of the pin for forming an annular undercut recess rin the bottom of the stopper formed in the mold.

2. A stopper press die comprising a mold, a plunger movable thereintov to com-press the material in the mold, a pin movable upwardly through the bottom of the mol-d, and removable means on the pin and surrounding the lower portion of the pin for forming an annular undercut recess in the bottom of the stopper formed in the mold.

3. A stopper press die comprising a mold, a plunger movable thereinto to'compress the material in the mold, a pin movable upwardly through the bottom ofthe mold'I and `removable outwardly flared members on the pi-n and surrounding the lower portion of the pin for forming an undercut recess in the bottom -of the stopper formed in the mold.

4. A stopper press die comprising a mol-d,l a plunger movable thereinto to compress the material in the mold, a pin movable upwardly through the bottom of the mold, and removable outwardly flared segmental members-on thev pin and surrounding the lower portion `of the pin for forming an undercut recess in` the bottom of the stopper formedin the mold.

5. A stopper press die comprising a mold, a plunger movable thereinto to compressthe material in the mold, a pin movable upwardly through the bottom of the mold, rsaid plunger being movable downwardly on `said pin into the mold, and means removably mounted on the pin and surrounding the lower portion of the pin for 55 forming an annular undercut recess in the bottom of the stopper formed in the mold.

6. .A stopper die comprising a mold having a central opening in the bottom thereof, a pin movable upwardly through the mold opening and having a collar dimensioned to fit within said opening, a plurality of segments mounted on said pin and having outer surfaces rforming an inverte-d, truncated cone, whereby an undercut opening will be formed in the stopper formed in the die.

7. A stopper die comprising a mold having a central opening in the bottom thereof, a pin movable upwardly through the mold opening and 1 having yaI c'oll'ar dimensioned to fit within said opening,- a plurality of segments mounted on said pin vand having outer surfaces forming an inverted, truncated cone, whereby an undercut opening will be formed in the stopper formed in the die.

8. A- stopper die comprising a mold having a `central opening in the bottom thereofa pin movable upwardly through. ther mold opening and having a collar dimensioned to t within said opening, a plurality of segments mounted on. said pin and having outer surfaces forming an inverted truncated cone,y whereby an undercut opening will be formed in the stopper formed in the die, said segments having flateinterengaging surfaces.

9. A stopper die comprising a mold having. a central opening, a pin movable through and arranged tct in said open-ing. ya plunger in the mold vertically movable `on the pin, members on said pin having upwardly and outwardly eX tending outer surfaces and havinginterengagingflat surfaces. A i

10.. A stopper die comprising a mold having a central opening, a pnmovable through and arranged to fit in said opening, a4 plunger in thev mold vertically movable on the pin, segmental members mounted on and surrounding .said pin having upwardly and outwardly extending outer surfaces and having interengaging flat surfaces.

' JOHN O. REID.

REFERENCES CITED.

The following references 'are of record' in th le .of this patent:

Tunison Jan. 4, 1'9'1-6 

